Co Derry brothers jailed for sex abuse lose court appeals

Two brothers jailed for a catalogue of child sex abuse offences against members of their own family were safely convicted, the Court of Appeal ruled today.

Judges threw out challenges by the father and uncle of victims subjected to years of molestation described as being at an almost unprecedented level.

The men, aged in their fifties and from Co Derry, were tried for a combined total of 56 offences, including rape, gross indecency with children, indecent assault, buggery, common assault and child cruelty.

The abuse, carried out against the son and daughter of one of the defendants, was allegedly carried out between 1990 and 1998.

In her evidence the girl said she was repeatedly raped and attacked in a campaign that began she was aged just six.

A trial at Londonderry Crown Court last year heard her father and uncle would sometimes take turns to rape her.

She said the pair filmed their abuse and then forced her to watch the recordings.

On other occasions she was punched, choked, kicked in the ribs and put in a scalding bath after one sexual assault.

Her father also stubbed cigarettes out on heir stomach and threw her across the floor of their home, it was alleged.

She further claimed he forced her to perform a sex act on him in a car while her brother was asleep in the back seat.

The boy told how he was sexually abused from the age of seven, with incidents taking place in the family shed and bathroom.

Episodes of cruelty meted out to him included being slapped in the face and put under a cold shower when he asked to be bought a basketball.